✅ THIS PART IS LEGIT · REAL SPECS · REAL SOURCES · HONEST VERDICTS · BY DOPAMINEKART
DOPAMINEKART / LEGIT
HEAD-TO-HEAD · CARS YOU CAN'T BUY IN THE US
Prices checked 12 Nov 2026 · 9 min read
China vs. Tesla · Two matchups
Xiaomi YU7 & SU7 vs. Tesla Model Y & Model 3
The phone maker's two electric cars start below Tesla's entry trims at home, list longer ranges and faster charging on paper, and cannot legally be sold in the US. We lined each one up against the Tesla it targets.
The short answer: on paper the Xiaomis out-spec the Teslas for less money in China and the UAE. The Teslas win where it counts for a US shopper: you can buy and service one, the range is EPA-verified, and the safety record is documented. This is a researched comparison, not a road test.
Xiaomi YU7
Tesla Model Y
Xiaomi SU7
Home marketChina (list in RMB)
Also soldUAE via Gargash
US statusEffectively barred
Start here
The 30-second answer
Two matchups, one standard: same segment, entry trims, dated prices.
SUV matchup
YU7 vs. Model Y
YU7 Standard: bigger, 235 kW, 73 kWh, 643 km CLTC claim, RMB 233,500 at home. Model Y Standard RWD: 321 mi EPA, $39,990 before fees, proven in the US.
Sedan matchup
SU7 vs. Model 3
SU7 Standard: 720 km CLTC claim, RMB 219,900, lidar and 700 TOPS standard. Model 3 Standard: 321 mi EPA, $36,990 before fees, NHTSA 5 stars.
Who wins for whom
Depends on where you live
UAE or Asia: the Xiaomis look like the sharper deal. US: the Teslas, because the Xiaomis cannot be sold here.
Why you can't buy a Xiaomi in the US
Two federal measures, both documented.
Chinese-built EVs face a 100% Section 301 tariff: the USTR notice signed 12 Sep 2024 lists the electric-vehicle rate rising to 100%, following a May 2024 presidential memorandum. Separately, a Commerce Department (BIS) connected-vehicle rule has barred vehicles carrying China-linked connectivity or automated-driving software from import and sale since 17 March 2026. Together they make a Chinese-brand passenger car effectively unsellable in the US today. We did not find any formal change in either rule, and we could not confirm the tariff rate against a 2026 official document, so treat the tariff as the 2024 position.
At a glance: YU7 vs. Model Y
Entry trims. Prices are list or reported prices on the dates shown; USD conversions are provisional at 6.69 RMB and 3.6725 AED per dollar (rates of 11 Nov 2026). Chinese list prices exclude shipping, duty and local taxes.
Test
Xiaomi YU7 Standard
Tesla Model Y Standard RWD
Price, home
RMB 233,500 (about $34,900), official list GT: RMB 389,900 (about $58,300)
$39,990 + about $1,640 fees (outlet-reported)
Price, UAE
AED 184,900 (about $50,300), Gargash, 19-20 Oct 2026; deliveries from Dec 2026
Not checked
Size (L x W x H)
4,999 x 1,996 x 1,608 mm, wheelbase 3,000 mm
About 4,797 mm long (secondary source)
Battery
73 kWh LFP, 752 V
Not published by Tesla
Power
235 kW single motor (GT: 738 kW dual motor, 101.7 kWh)
Not published
Range
643 km CLTC (not comparable with EPA)
321 mi (about 517 km) EPA
Charging
30-80% in about 20 min (reported)
Up to 225 kW peak
Safety
No YU7 C-NCAP score found
IIHS Top Safety Pick+, NHTSA 5 stars, Euro NCAP 5 stars
At a glance: SU7 vs. Model 3
Second-generation SU7 (2026 model year) against the 2026 Model 3 Standard.
Test
Xiaomi SU7 Standard
Tesla Model 3 Standard
Price, home
RMB 219,900 (about $32,900), launch list 19 Mar 2026; official page still shows this start price Max: RMB 303,900 (about $45,400)
$36,990 + fees, about $38,630 (Edmunds via InsideEVs, KBB)
Price, UAE
AED 169,900 (about $46,300), Gargash, Oct 2026; deliveries from Dec 2026
321 mi EPA (18-inch wheels); Edmunds measured 339 mi
Charging
Xiaomi claims 670 km CLTC range in 15 min
225 kW peak; Edmunds measured 89 kW average
Safety
First-generation SU7 Max: C-NCAP 5 stars, 93.5% (2024 body; none found for the 2026 car)
NHTSA 5 stars, Euro NCAP 5 stars; no IIHS award in 2026
Left to right: Xiaomi YU7 front and rear, Tesla Model Y Standard front. Photo: CVCC-2001 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) · Photo: CVCC-2001 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) · Photo: Dllu / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Round by round
Each round names a winner and the trade-off. These are our judgments from published data, not test results.
Round 01
Price and what you get
Winner: Xiaomi (on paper)
Xiaomi YU7 / SU7
In China the YU7 starts at RMB 233,500 and the SU7 at RMB 219,900. In the UAE they start at AED 184,900 and 169,900. Both carry more battery and power than the Tesla entry trims, and the SU7 lists lidar as standard.
Tesla Model Y / Model 3
$39,990 and $36,990 before about $1,640 in fees. Tesla raised some other Model Y trims in May 2026 while leaving the Standard untouched.
The catch
The Xiaomi figures are Chinese list prices, which exclude shipping, import duty and local taxes, so they are not a US-equivalent price. The UAE figures are importer launch prices and do not state tax treatment.
Round 02
Range and charging
Winner: Tesla (verified), Xiaomi (claimed)
Xiaomi
643 km (YU7 Standard) and 720 km (SU7 Standard) on the Chinese CLTC cycle, with 752 V architecture and a claimed 30-80% charge in about 20 minutes for the YU7.
Tesla
321 miles EPA for both Standard trims, about 517 km. Edmunds measured 339 miles on the Model 3 Standard. Peak charging is 225 kW.
How to read it
CLTC is the most generous of the three test standards and EPA is the strictest, so 643 km CLTC does not beat 517 km EPA. Any claim that it does is comparing different yardsticks.
Round 03
Size and technology
Winner: Xiaomi
Xiaomi
The YU7 is about 200 mm longer than the Model Y (the Model Y length is a secondary-source figure) and the SU7 lists lidar and a 700 TOPS driver-assist computer as standard. The GT trim reaches 738 kW.
Tesla
Smaller than the YU7, and the one of the two you can plug into the US charging network and service in the US.
The catch
Xiaomi's driver-assist and charging claims are company figures. None of them has been independently tested in the US.
Round 04
Safety and track record
Winner: Tesla
Xiaomi
The first-generation SU7 Max scored 5 stars and 93.5% in China's C-NCAP in 2024. We found no C-NCAP, Euro NCAP or ANCAP result for the 2026 SU7 or the YU7.
Tesla
Model Y: IIHS Top Safety Pick+, NHTSA 5 stars, Euro NCAP 5 stars. Model 3: NHTSA 5 stars and Euro NCAP 5 stars, though IIHS gave it no award in 2026.
The catch
A missing rating is not a bad rating. It does mean the Teslas are the only ones here with documented results on the current bodies.
Round 05
Can you actually buy one?
Winner: Tesla (in the US)
Xiaomi
Sold in China and, from December 2026, in the UAE via Gargash Prime Automotive. An Australian launch was reported for early 2027 with no price. Not sold in the US.
Tesla
Sold and serviced across the US, with the Supercharger network and the standard 8 years or 120,000 miles battery warranty (secondary source).
Warranty
Gargash lists up to 5 years or 150,000 km for the Xiaomis in the UAE. Tesla's basic warranty we could not confirm because tesla.com blocked our check.
Who each car is for
UAE or Asia-Pacific shopper
Xiaomi YU7 or SU7
More battery, power and tech for the money at the entry trims, and a local importer. Check the tax treatment and the warranty in writing before you commit.
US shopper
Tesla Model Y or Model 3
The Xiaomis are not available to you. The Model Y Standard and Model 3 Standard are the entry points, with EPA-verified range and strong safety results.
Curious about the future
Watch the policy
If US rules change, these are the cars that would land first. Nothing we found suggests that has happened.
Splitdecision
Who wins
On specifications and entry price in the markets that sell them, the Xiaomis win. On verified range, documented safety and availability to a US buyer, the Teslas win. Neither claim comes from a drive: this is a read of published data, dated 12 November 2026.
Best spec sheetXiaomi YU7 / SU7
Best verified numbersTesla Model Y / Model 3
Only buyable in the USTesla
Method and what we couldn't verify
Entry-trim prices and specs come from Xiaomi's official pages (xiaomiev.com), Gasgoo, Electrek, electrive, CarNewsChina, and UAE launch coverage of the Gargash price list. Tesla US prices and measured figures come from outlets such as InsideEVs, Edmunds, KBB and Automotive Addicts, because tesla.com blocked our checks. Safety results come from C-NCAP coverage, IIHS, NHTSA and Euro NCAP.
Not verified, so not used
Xiaomi's official warranty on its own site
YU7 and 2026 SU7 safety scores
Tesla's basic warranty and official battery sizes
Current China list prices for the YU7 Pro and Max trims
Tesla prices in the UAE and China
The 2026 US tariff rate (only the 2024 official action was found)
Independent research. This is a researched comparison, not a road test; DopamineKart did not drive these cars. There are no affiliate or purchase links, and no brand paid for placement. Prices and specs are as published on the dates stated and can change. Chinese list prices exclude shipping, duty and local taxes. USD conversions are provisional. Photography is from Wikimedia Commons, credited per image: Photo: User3204 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0); Photo: Alexander Migl / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0); Photo: JustAnotherCarDesigner / Wikimedia Commons (CC0) (first-generation SU7 body); Photo: CVCC-2001 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0); Photo: CVCC-2001 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0); Photo: Dllu / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Spotted an error? corrections@dopaminekart.com.
